


It Shall Be Made A New Heaven & Earth (Supernatural Season 16)

by 1stBorn04



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angels, Archangel Castiel (Supernatural), BAMF Women, BAMFs, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Caring John Winchester, Castiel Confesses Feelings for Dean Winchester, Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Castiel is Taken by The Empty | The Shadow (Supernatural), Chuck and Amara Aren't the Only Primordials, Dean Winchester Confesses Feelings for Castiel, Dean Winchester and Sam Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Destiel Becoming Canon On 5 November 2020 (Supernatural), Destiel December 2020 (Supernatural), Dialogue Heavy, Dreams and Nightmares, Episode 15x20 (Supernatural), Eventual Castiel/Dean Winchester, Everyone Loves Castiel (Supernatural), Everyone Ships Castiel/Dean Winchester, F/F, F/M, Gen, Heaven Ain't So Heavenly, Heavy Angst, Internalized Homophobia, Jack Kline Saves Castiel from the Empty, John Winchester Not Being an Asshole, John Winchester Tries, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Mythical Beings & Creatures, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Ruby/Sam Winchester, Possible Character Death, Post-Canon, Post-Episode: s15e20 Carry On, Post-Season/Series 15, Protective John Winchester, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Sam Winchester Ships Castiel/Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester is So Done, Slow Burn, The Boys Are In Heaven, We Got Work To Do
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:20:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28179735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1stBorn04/pseuds/1stBorn04
Summary: Chuck has finally been defeated. The boys are free and at peace in Heaven. But there's still work to do!After Jack absorbed Chuck's power and became the new God, he decided to make some major changes in Heaven and fix everything that Chuck broke. Although to do that, he was going to need some help from his dad. So he sprung Castiel out of the Empty so that he could help Jack perform his divine duties.However, they didn't fully understand the consequences of interfering with a deal made by two Cosmic entities or how those consequences would affect the entire Cosmos.
Relationships: Anael (Supernatural: Devil's Bargain) & Ruby (Supernatural), Anael (Supernatural: Devil's Bargain)/Castiel (Supernatural), Bobby Singer & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Castiel & Dean Winchester, Castiel & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Castiel & Gabriel (Supernatural), Castiel & Jack Kline, Castiel & Jack Kline & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Castiel & Sam Winchester, Castiel (Supernatural) & Original Character(s), Castiel (Supernatural)/Other(s), Castiel/Dean Winchester, Crowley & Gabriel (Supernatural), Crowley & Rowena MacLeod, Dean Winchester & John Winchester & Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Gabriel & Sam Winchester, Mentioned John Winchester/Mary Winchester, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Rowena MacLeod & Sam Winchester, Sam Winchester/Eileen Leahy
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	1. Episode 1: Reminiscing About the Golden Oldies (Pt. 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean reflects over what could have been.

_**THEN** _

_[We see clips from episodes 18 through 20 depicting Castiel's confession and death scene, the final battle against Chuck, Jack becoming God, Jack's goodbye to the Winchesters, the fight in the barn, Dean's death/funeral, Dean's reunion with Bobby and the explanation of the new Heaven flash on the screen.]_

_"So, Jack did all this?" Dean asked, looking over the landscape before him._

_Bobby smirked knowingly. "Well, Cass helped."_

**_NOW_ **

Dean drove the Impala onto the bridge before putting it in park. He sat there for a while, wondering how long it had been; how many years had passed on Earth while he was in paradise. He guessed it really didn't matter anymore, you know, since he was dead. Still, he wondered if his brother was able to move on and have that normal life he always dreamed about having.

Opening up the door, he got out of the car and walked up to the railing of the bridge overlooking the river. He huffed softly. This wasn't how he wanted his story to end. He'd wanted to at least get out there in the world and live up some of that apple pie life for himself. If only he'd been more careful about not getting pinned against an old piece of rebar. He probably could have extended his life just a little while longer. He could have taken that job offer. He and Sam could've opened up the Bunker as a home base for the other hunters. The possibilities were endless.

 _Were_. Past tense.

But not anymore. Now, he was dead... for good this time.

Dean swallowed thickly, as the reality that he would never have a second chance at life crept into his heart. Sure, he was in Heaven now and was surrounded by all the people he cared about, but he'd never gotten the chance to live a life of his own. At least not really, seeing as how Chuck had been pulling the strings the entire time. The thought of that douchebag made Dean grip the railing tightly as his expression darkened. 

_'At least I won't have to deal with his smarmy ass anymore.'_

Sighing wistfully, he took one last look at the serene picturesque landscape before getting back into the Impala and driving off back down the road. It seemed like even when he's finally found peace, Dean is still looking for the next fight or the next monster to kill.

Guess old habits really do die hard.


	2. Episode 1: Reminiscing About the Golden Oldies (Pt. 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam attempts to move on with his life. Attempts being the operative word.

Two weeks.

That's how long it had been.

Two friggin' weeks.

Two weeks since Sam had to say "goodbye" to his older brother. Two weeks since he had to burn his body on a funeral pyre. Two weeks since his entire world spun out of control with no way to correct it. And in those two weeks, Sam has felt nothing but pain and sorrow. Now, as he wanders the empty halls of the Men of Letters Bunker, all Sam can do is think back to when everything wasn't completely insane. When he and his family weren't in the middle of one Apocalypse or the next. When he still had people in his life to call family. He pictured his brother wearing that stupid apron and standing over the grill while boasting about how he was "the Meat Man". He could still feel himself rolling his eyes at Dean's even now. Only this time instead of pained annoyance, he rolled his eyes in gentle fondness. He imagined Jack trying to control his powers becoming elated when he succeeded in levitating a pencil. God, looking back on it, that feels like so long ago now. He remembered every movie night they had spent at the Bunker when Cass would tilt his head in confusion at something happening on the screen. At that, Sam actually let out a small laugh as he remembered Cass's nonchalant reaction to the reveal that Darth Vader was Luke's father and the argument that followed when Dean tried to explain why it was the "most awesome moment in cinematic history". But that was all in the past now.

This was his present; his future. A future without his brother by his side. A future without his best friend that made him laugh even when he wasn't trying. A future where the young boy he raised as his son and was now a god in his own right, who didn't need to rely on him anymore. A future where he, Sam Winchester, was the last living member of Team Free Will. 

A future where he was alone.

And as long as he stayed here in this bunker that's all he was ever going to be, but he didn't want that. He wanted to keep his promise to Dean. He wanted to be with Eileen and find happiness with her. He wanted to have kids and raise a family. However, as long as he kept living here in the place that he used to call home and dwelling in the past, he would never be able to do all things he wanted to do. Things that Dean never got the chance to do. 

So, he left. He packed his things, he took Miracle, grabbed the keys to the Impala, and high-tailed it out of Lebanon, Kansas, watching through the rear-view mirror as the Bunker faded into the distance. 

* * *

**FIVE. YEARS. LATER.**

It was a bright, sunny day in May in Odessa, Texas. Sam and Eileen were huddled closely together sitting on a bench in the park watching their four-year-old son DJ, or Dean Jr., having fun with his friends on the playground. Dean waved at his parents excitedly and Sam smiled at his son, waving back in kind. Then he watched as he went back to playing with his friends and Sam found his mind drifting off into a deep sea of thought.

Ever since he was born, Sam felt as though parts of his brother had manifested themselves in his son. For instance, despite both him and his wife having either hazel or brown eyes, his son had decidedly glittered like emeralds in the late morning sun. And that playful grin he would get when he was up to no good. Sometimes it felt like Dean was looking directly at him through his son. It was almost like he was still with him in a way even though he's been dead for years.

Later that day when they got home, Eileen set her stuff down and went into the kitchen to get started on lunch, while Dean zoomed up the stairs to go to the bathroom. "Hey, no running up the stairs, buddy," Sam chided after him. "Sorry, Daddy," his son replied. Then, he continued up the stairs at a slower pace but was still way too fast for Sam's liking. Oh, well. The joys of parenting. Sam locked the front door behind him, placing the keys on the keyholder by the door. He ventured into the dining room, where his laptop was still sitting on the table connected to the charger. Opening it up, he found the last page he'd been on the night before scrolling through multiple news articles of accidents or mysterious deaths or basically anything that might be supernatural in the area. He clicked one of the most recent reports that were brought in by a young guy named Eric Sommers talking about his father living just outside of Odessa who was robbed in his home and got shot point-blank in the head. However, Eric claims that even though he saw his father get shot, he swears he saw a man appear out of thin air and heal his father. That drew Sam's attention, as he furrowed his brow and continued to read the article with renewed interest.

 _When Eric asked the man who healed his father who he was, the man reportedly answered by saying, "I'm just a man who wants to bring a little good back into the world."_ As Sam read on, he noticed that Eric's father described feeling a light, divine presence of energy flowing through his body as his wounds healed. _The experience he described was nothing short of the touch of an angel. Eric Sommers continued to say that even though he couldn't see the man's entire face due to the darkness within the house, he did manage to catch a glimpse of his eyes which Eric says were a shade of blue that burned brighter than the stars. "It was like his eyes were glowing, and I could kind of tell from the moonlight that he was dressed in some sort of overcoat or something," Sommers said._

Sam's eyes blew wide as he read the last statement from Sommers article. A man, quite possibly an angel, was in Odessa healing people. A man with blue eyes wearing an overcoat. But that was impossible! It couldn't be him, could it? Dean said that he died saving his life. So, how the hell could...

Jack!

He brought him back to life, he had to. That was the only way this could be even within the realm of possibility. 

Sam let out a shaky chuckle, tears of hope welling in his eyes. Cass was alive. He was sure of it. And if this article was to be believed, he was close. Sam leaned back in his chair dumbfounded at the news he had just discovered, as he ran his fingers through his hair. His best friend was alive again. Suddenly, he felt something spark to life deep in his core. An old feeling of determination and a will to put the broken pieces of his family back together. Dean might be gone, but Cass was still out there. He needed to find him before went off the grid again. But what if it wasn't true? What if Sam was getting his hopes up for nothing and Castiel was still dead; still in the clutches of the Empty? "Sam, are you okay," Eileen called out, jolting him out of his thoughts. He whipped his head around quickly and saw his wife standing over him with a concerned look on her face. Before he could come up with a good excuse, the truth came tumbling out of his lips and he couldn't stop it. 

By the time he finished explaining everything, including showing her the article the look she wore on her face had changed from worried to resigned. "I mean, it could all just be nothing, you know," Sam signed to his wife, clearly second-guessing himself. "Who knows, maybe this whole article is just a hoax made up by two wannabe celebrities." She smiled at him knowingly. "Or it could be true and your best friend is still alive," she signed back. Sam didn't answer and turned his head away. "I know how much you've never been the same since Dean died, Sam," she continued. "And even though it's not the same as having your brother back, I know it would still mean everything to you to know that Castiel was alive and could be apart of your life again." Sam exhaled deeply. "No. No, I promised myself that when I left the Bunker, I was going to leave all of it behind and never look back. I was gonna leave Dean, Cass, and Jack in my past. I stopped hunting, I moved in with you," Sam replied. "I moved on from everything in my past for you and our son." 

Eileen let out a sigh of her own taking the seat next to him and sandwiching one of his hands between hers. "I know you made a promise to Dean that you would live your life," she paused briefly, "but you can't just ignore your past or the people in it. Especially, if one of those people was possibly last seen right outside the town we live in." Sam looked at his wife guiltily wondering how his life had gotten so complicated... again. "I just don't want to lose what I have trying to get back something I lost," he admitted. To his surprise, she leaned forward and kissed him chastely on the lips. When she pulled away, a loving smile graced her lips. "Sam, if you didn't lose me after I got attacked by hellhounds, then you're never getting rid of me." He laughed at her snarky remark, bringing her in for another kiss. Just then, they were interrupted by the sound of the son making gagging noises across the foyer. "EEEEEWWWW!" DJ called out. "That's gross, Mommy and Daddy." The two parents shook their heads as their son continued to gag in exaggeration. Before standing up to go over to her son to get him something to eat, she gave her husband one last look and said, "You don't have to go through this alone, I'll be by your side the whole time. No matter what decision you make."

He nodded and smiled as she disappeared into the kitchen with Dean in tow. Then, he turned back to his computer and stared at the article once again. 

Maybe he didn't have to ignore the past as much as he thought he did after all. He just hoped that he wasn't leading his family right in the middle of a trap, supernatural or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think so far? Tell me honestly. The more reviews I get, that faster I upload.


	3. Episode 1: Reminiscing About the Golden Oldies (Pt. 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean spends some time going through past events and finds himself in an emotional state of turmoil.

_[ **Up On Cripple Creek** by The Band starts to play]_

The alarm clock next to Dean's bed blared in his ear, causing the man to grumble irritably. He tried and failed repeatedly to turn it off, but only succeeded in knocking other objects off the nightstand. With a grunt, Dean sat up in his bed and rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes. Eventually, he got out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen to make himself breakfast.

_[As the scene shifts, it is then that we realize Dean is in the Men of Letters Bunker in Heaven.]_

He sat at the table and ate alone as the eternal silence swept through the Bunker. Just another day in Heaven. 

Of all the places in Heaven with actual people living in it, he still chose to be in an empty Bunker full of ancient books and lore with no one but himself and his thoughts to keep him company. Granted, he could literally just pop over to Bobby's or swing by the Roadhouse or go over to his Mom and Dad's place anytime he wanted to visit his family and friends, but ironically, he felt more at home in a vacant building that he used to live in with his brother, stepson, and... Cass.

Speaking of, he hasn't seen or heard from the angel since Bobby told him that Jack pulled him out of the Empty. If it weren't for his mother telling him that she ran into Cass at the Roadhouse about a week ago, he probably would have dismissed the idea that Cass was alive. As more and more time passed, more and more people in Heaven, Charlie, Ellen, Ash, all claimed that the angel had stopped by to check in on them and some even said they shared a drink with him before he disappeared off to parts unknown... Again!

It seemed like Cass had reunited with everyone except him. The one who he claimed to have loved. At least that's what Cass had told him right before he was dragged to the Empty.

A pit formed in his gut and the food he was eating turned to ashes in his mouth. 

_[The song fades out until it is completely silent.]_

Dean immediately shot up from his chair and darted out of the kitchen and down the hall to the nearest bathroom. A while later after he had finished spewing his guts out in the toilet, Dean cleaned himself up and braced himself on the counter as he glared at himself in the mirror. What was wrong with him? Wasn't he supposed to be sickness and pain-free in Heaven? So then, why did he feel like this?

He inwardly cringed. Everyone else had their peace and happiness and transcended all their physical woes and ailments. Yet, Dean still could be seen carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He still had so many regrets, so many things he wishes he could have said to the people he wanted to say them to. So many things he wished he could change; things that maybe could've changed his entire life for the better. 

No, that wasn't right. Dean wasn't the type of person to want things. At least not openly. And though he still had multiple regrets and goals he had wanted to accomplish, there were only a few regrets that affected him on a personal level. And they all circled back to the reason he was now moping and vomiting in the bathroom. Well, one person anyway.

Cass.

His best friend.

At least that's what the angel used to be to him. But now, he... He didn't know what they were anymore. Not since that day in the Bunker when Death herself was literally knocking on their door. Not since Cass gave him what many people would consider the most epic love confession ever. Not since Cass let himself get taken to the Empty before Dean could fully realize what was happening or even get the chance to respond.

Truth be told, he was angry. He was angry at Cass for not telling him about his deal with the Empty. He was angry at Cass for not telling him how he felt sooner. He was angry at Billie for lying to them and putting Cass in a position where he had to sacrifice himself. He was angry at himself for antagonizing Billie in the first place. He was angry at the Empty for taking Cass away before he could say "goodbye". He was angry at himself for not realizing how Cass felt sooner. He was angry for not saying something, anything, to the angel as he watched him get engulfed by tendrils of darkness.

Hell, he was even angry at Chuck for letting it all happen or Jack for not even telling him that Cass was alive. For having him find out through Bobby of all people.

He was just angry at everything, he supposed. That was nothing new, though. Everybody already knew that about him. 

_[Flashback scene to Episode 15x18: "Despair"; Castiel's confession.]_

_"You see yourself the same way our enemies see you. You're destructive and you're angry, and you're broken. You're "Daddy's blunt instrument"," Cass had said. "But you're not."_

_[End of Flashback sequence. Cut to the present, where Dean is seen to be nearing the end of his rope. We want Jensen to look as conflicted and angry as possible.]_

Dean let out a shaky breath as he remembered the angel's words. He needed to find Cass. He needed to clear the air. Otherwise, all this inner turmoil was going to eat him alive.


	4. Episode 1: Reminiscing About the Golden Oldies (Pt. 4)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam works to track down Castiel. We see another familiar face.

A few weeks after the revelation that Castiel was alive and on Earth, Sam called up his old hunter friends and asked them to look into any supernatural occurrences that may be related to any angel activity. Eventually, the Leahy-Winchester clan realized that they would get a lot more done if they had a home base with the necessary resources. So, within the next three months, they packed up and relocated to the Bunker in Lebanon, Kansas.

As soon as he unlocked the door to the Bunker, memories of the previous years he'd spent living here with his brother, best friend, and stepson flooded the forefront of his mind. "Daddy!" DJ's voice chimed in his ear, shaking him out of his thoughts. "What is this place?" Sam lowered his head to look at the young boy in his arms and smiled softly. "This is where Daddy and Uncle Dean used to live," he answered.

The young Winchester gaped in wonder as Sam turned on the power to the Bunker, letting the light flow through the building. "Cool!" DJ grinned giddily. "It is, isn't it?" his father smirked. 

* * *

7 months later...

"Hey, Chief, I think I found something!" one of the hunters called out. Sam, now with a full beard, turned in the direction of the hunter who called him and walked over to see what they had found.

_[Jared should have a similar appearance as he did in the early beginning of season 14 when they were looking for "Dichael". Also, the hunter speaking in this scene can be either male or female. Writer's choice.]_

"What is it?" Sam asked. "What did you find?" "There's been a lot of demonic activity up and around the state of New York since about the time your brother died," the hunter said. Sam tried not to wince at the mention of his brother. Six years had almost passed and it still felt like it was only yesterday that it happened. "Okay, what's the significance?" Sam cleared his throat. 

"Well, turns out that a few days ago, a few hunters that we sent out to do recon in the area to see how many demons were called back and said almost half of them were dead," the hunter continued. Sam furrowed his brow in confusion. "Well, maybe some other hunters took care of it," he replied. The hunter shook their head in the universal gesture of "no". "No, sir. See I thought the same thing, but then news reports started coming in from New York about vicious criminal activity and showed the bodies of these "victims" with their eyes completely burned out of their sockets," the hunter concluded.

A tendril of hope curled around Sam's heart at the news. Finally, after all these months, he was catching a break. "Which city were these bodies found in?" "NYC, and since that was only half of the demons, we know that Cass is still going to try to wipe out the rest of them," the hunter answered. Sam smiled and expressed his thanks, before turning and running off down the hall.

When he got far enough away from the bustling war room and library, he stopped in front of one of the bedrooms and knocked on the door. He waited patiently for the door to open, which gave him time to wrap his head around what was going on. They found Cass. They actually found Cass.

Just then, the door to the bedroom opened revealing a petite young woman with bright blonde hair and a familiar pair of blue eyes.

_[Just get Kathryn Newton for at least one episode, please?]_

"What is it?" she asked.

"We got him, Claire."


	5. Episode 1: Reminiscing About the Golden Oldies (Pt. 5)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get a reunion, an unfinished case, and a little more insight as to what happened with a certain angel of the lord.

_**SIX...** _

_**YEARS...** _

_**AGO...** _

_[We get a disjointed cross-cut flashback sequence of Castiel's confession.]_

Castiel pushed Dean out of the way just as Billie burst through the door. Tears fell from his sapphire eyes, as he looked at Dean, his best friend... The love of his life, one last time. Then, he stared down the inky, black abyss of the Empty, and instead of being heartbroken about all of the what-ifs and what-could-have-beens, he finally, after all of these centuries of fighting demons and being enslaved to the corrupted will of Heaven, after living through all the turmoil that the Apocalypse had wrought, after all of the betrayals, the loss, the sacrifice, and the love shared along the way, was ready and willing to let himself be truly happy. 

"Cass!" Dean called out.

But it was too late.

Thick, inky talons of black ooze had already begun to circle Castiel while another tendril consumed Death entirely. The last thing Cass saw was the bloody handprint that he left on Dean's shoulder. Despite being slowly devoured by abysmal nothingness, Cass couldn't help but smile at that.

History always repeats itself. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing in this case.

And with that, the Empty consumed him and everything went black.

* * *

The angel's eyes blinked open as the memory of his death receded into his vessel's subconscious. He stood atop one of the buildings in central Time Square, New York City. It was high enough that he would be able to see everything he needed to but also far enough away from the main crowd of people that he would not be.

Almost a year had passed on Earth since his last visit to Heaven. He missed it already. He missed _him_.

"And you will get to see him again, Father."

The angel whirled around to find his son Jack standing behind him. "Jack, how many times have I told you that it's rude to sneak up on people?" Cass chided gently. "Or to read their minds without their consent?" Unlike the previous God who was always meddling in people's thoughts without a care in the world, Jack had the decency to look guiltily at his surrogate father. "I'm sorry," Jack apologized.

Cass smirked at his son nodded his head once. "You're forgiven." 

_[This takes place in early March of 2026 in New York City, which means it's still pretty frigid in the Northeast. This is important to note because, during the roof scene, Jack is still wearing the outfit he was in during 15x19: "Inherit the Earth", and Cass is now in a black overcoat and button-down long sleeve shirt, a pair of jeans, and black Timberland boots.]_

"Speaking of Dean, if you don't mind me asking, why haven't you visited him in Heaven?" Jack inquired. The angel paused, before taking a breath. Then he let out a rueful chuckle. "Would you believe that I'm pissed at him for getting himself killed two and a half weeks after I gave up my life to save him?" Cass jeered. He watched his son crack a small smile at his joke. "Probably, since it isn't the first time you two have given each other the silent treatment for doing something stupid," Jack replied. "However, being the new God also comes with a certain level of omniscience, so..." 

Castiel shifted awkwardly and cleared his throat. Great! Even his kid knows how head-over-heels he is for Dean. Then again, Cass was almost 100% sure that he has never been subtle about it. "Anyway, not that I'm not happy to see you, but is there a particular reason why you're here on Earth?" Cass questioned. "Yes," Jack affirmed. "More angels and demons are waking up in the Empty and it's causing a bit of a panic throughout the rest of the cosmos." Castiel's expression darkened. "How many?"

"About 2,000, this time."

"Do we know who woke up?" 

"I have Joshua, Hannah, and Ephraim drawing up a census of everyone who's crawled out from the Event Horizon, but it's going to take time," the New God answered. "So, after your mission killing these rogue demons, I would appreciate it if you and your team could help some of the others out. I'm still trying to clean up the cosmic mess that Chuck made, otherwise I would help." 

Cass waved his hand dismissively. "You don't even need to ask."

Jack visibly relaxed and Cass could see just how much all this was affecting him. "Thanks, Dad," he said. Cass smiled. "Anytime." Then with a snap of his fingers, Jack was dissipated into light mist and was gone.

Cass turned his attention back to the bustling city below. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed somebody in the distance walking towards an alleyway with a group of suspicious figures following after her. His eyes narrowed in their direction.

He closed his eyes and focused his power on communicating with the other members of his team. _"Xaela, Jophiel, converge on my position south of Wallstreet, they took the bait,"_ Castiel ordered. Within minutes, each member of his team responded. Then, he went "invisible girl" as Dean would say, and jumped off the building to the street below, landing on his feet like a cat.

Once he made himself visible again, he began to walk with purpose in the direction of his intended target.

He didn't notice the blonde girl in the baseball cap watching him from behind the newspaper she was pretending to read.


	6. Episode 1: Reminiscing About the Golden Oldies (Pt. 6)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to meet a few of the members of the new Black Ops squad of Heaven. Sam and Claire track down Castiel. The demons make their move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of old fan favorites will be returning for this chapter and new characters will also be introduced. Also, in case I didn't make it painfully obvious, the Destiel for this will be slow burn... like agonizingly slow. Most of that is because I want it to feel as authentic as possible and stay as true to the characters as much as I can. This means that Dean will be going through a lot of turmoil for the next few episodes about how he feels, and you know how he can be with that, soooo.... 
> 
> This is why I've included multiple love interests for Castiel because I don't want it to seem like he is hung up on Dean for all eternity, unless he has a legitimate reason for being hung up on him.

Author's Note about the cast:

There have been some new additions made to the recurring cast members list, which include: Katheryn Winnick as Jophiel, Ian Somerhalder as Sammael, Kristin Kreuk as Esther, Tom Hiddleston as Astaroth, and Phoebe Tonkin as Xaela.

Okay, that's all!

Back to the story.

* * *

Castiel swiftly followed after the demons he was pursuing, eager to find the other fugitives from the Empty. Just then, he heard the flutter of angel wings beside him. On either side of him were two women walking to match his pace. One with a bright halo of blonde hair and crystal blue eyes and the other with medium chestnut hair and light brown eyes. "Ladies, good to see you again," Castiel greeted without taking his eyes off the targets. "What did you find out from Eden?" "Nothing much," the brunette woman replied. "Just that they figured the demons are hold up in some abandoned warehouse across the river." "Do we know how many?" he asked. "Unspecified," the other woman put in. "It could anywhere from 50 to 500." 

Cass cringed slightly. That didn't sound good. 11 angels and demons combined against 500 of the most rotten demonic warriors ever to walk the Earth. "And are the others prepared?" Cass inquired with a frown. "We've been over the plan a hundred times, boss," the brown-haired angel replied. "They know what their jobs are." For the first time since they started walking together, Castiel stopped and pulled the women aside on the sidewalk. Then, he looked the brunette right in the eye and said, "Xaela, this is serious business. We don't know what the hell we're walking into and I don't want to risk losing any of you. I can't lose anymore." She nodded in understanding, trying, and failing to keep her composure under his piercing blue stare. "I understand, Cass." 

"Good." 

Then they started walking again, with Cass taking the lead and the two girls falling a half step behind him. The blonde woman, Jophiel, gave her friend a knowing smirk as they walked behind their commander. In response, Xaela simply rolled her eyes and tried to focus back on the mission. Eventually, they followed the group of demons into a long and empty alleyway that came to a dead-end a few blocks down. However, when they got there it was empty. The wind whistled eerily past their ears and the hairs on the back of Cass's neck stood up on edge. "Something's wrong," he voiced. Not a moment later, six demons jumped down from one of the buildings and attacked Castiel. He didn't even have time to pull out his own angel blade because the demons were swinging at him with theirs, and all he could do was dodge and weave their strikes and use hand-to-hand combat whenever he could.

As he was dealing with them, five more demons came out of the shadows and encircled the other two angels who had already drawn their angel blades. "If you're looking for your friend, she's... indisposed right now," a voice called out from somewhere behind them. The two women looked around warily to find the source of the voice and glared once they realized who it had come from. "Astaroth!" Xaela sneered. "Hello, darling," he smiled wickedly. "Good to see you again." With an angry shout, Xaela lunged towards the demon and attacked him furiously. The other demons closed in on Jophiel and she brought out a second angel blade and twirled them around dangerously before swiftly striking at the black-eyed abominations charging at her.

Castiel continued to dodge the demons' attacks but nevertheless was unable to bring out his own weapon and take them out. He found himself falling into a familiar pattern of dodge-duck-hit-repeat, as he tried to search for an opening in any of their stances. Finally, he noticed a small weakness in one of his opponent's striking pattern. Whenever they did an overhead strike, they left their right side exposed. So, the angel waited patiently, continuing to lead them into his makeshift trap until the opportune moment returned. At the same time that the demon went in for the overhead swing, Castiel weaved and sent a powerful roundhouse kick into the demon's side by rotating his hips as he went. 

The demon went flying through the brick wall of one of the abandoned buildings and slumped to the floor unconscious. This bought Castiel enough time to whip out his angel blade and prepare to strike down the Event Horizon Fugitives. However, when Castiel pulled out his angel blade, the demons shrank back in horror. "I don't believe it," one of them gasped. "So, the rumors are true!" another one quaked. Castiel smiled viciously. "Oh, good, you've heard the stories. That means you won't be completely surprised when this blade eviscerates you." The demons gulped fearfully, as they stared at the obsidian-colored Archangel blade glittered wickedly in the pale light of the moon. Without warning, Castiel's eyes glowed bright blue with Grace and a brilliant aura of light surrounded him as the silhouette of two enormous wings, fully healed from injuries he received in the Fall, unfurled as a great looming shadow on the wall.

The demons trembled in sheer horror and stumbled back from the angel. But it was too late. Castiel raised his sword hand in the air and a distant rumble of thunder could be heard within the sky. Suddenly, the thunder became louder and blazing forks of lightning danced across the sky. Astaroth and everyone else had ceased their quarrels as they stood agape in awe and terror at the greatness of the Commander of the Heavenly Host. Astaroth growled in frustration. "Damn Archangels!" he swore, before he disappeared in the blink of eye. 

The other demons tried to teleport away, but found that they couldn't. Cass had blocked off their powers. Out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning came down from the heavens aimed directly at Castiel's sword, which he then directed towards all of the impure souls that he wanted dead and the lighting surged through his blade blasting all of the demons' spirits back into the Empty.

All except one. 

When the electricity racing up and down his arm had stopped flickering and the thunderstorm had subsided and the Grace in his eyes faded, he opened up his coat and slipped the Archangel blade into its sheath and nodded for the other two angels to approach him. Xaela, who looked kind of worse for wear, smirked at her commander and said, "Was the lightning really necessary?" He shrugged a with smirk of his own. "It got the point across, didn't it?" "I think I liked you better as a Seraph, Cass," Xaela rolled her eyes. "You didn't have as much dramatic flair." "Oh, please, if that were true, your vessel's heart wouldn't have just skipped three beats," he winked. "Ugh, if you two are going to screw each other can you do it after we've brought the prisoner back to base?" Jophiel groaned. 

The two angels in question gave their cohort a resting bitchface and started towards her and the wounded demon desperately trying to crawl away from them. Not wasting any more time, Cass turned up the speed and blurred over to the demon trying to escape a crouched down in front of him. The demon whimpered and shakily looked up at the Archangel looming over him threateningly. "Going somewhere?" The demon remained silent. "Didn't think so," Cass sighed. Then he grabbed the son of a bitch by his collar and yanked him off the ground and motioned for his companions to follow him out of the alleyway. 

However, they were stopped short by the sight of two humans staring in amazement at them, and Cass felt his heart clench tightly.

"Cass?" the human man said.

The celestial exhaled deeply. "Hello, Sam."

* * *

They all stood there frozen in silence, waiting for somebody to make a move; hell, just waiting for something to happen. "We'll take the prisoner back to base," Xaela declared, breaking the silence. Cass turned to look at his lieutenants who seemed to be on the same page. "Are you sure?" he asked. They both smiled. "Don't worry about us," Jophiel added. "We'll be all right." The Archangel nodded his consent and handed the demon off to the two of them. Then with a flap of their wings, they and the demon were gone.

Cass looked back at the two hunters before him, as Claire slowly stepped forward with tears welling up in her eyes. "Claire, I--" Cass started, but was cut off by the young woman leaping into his arms and hugging him tightly. The angel let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and slowly but surely wrapped his arms around her and held her close, while the latter cried into his trenchcoat. All at once, all of those human emotions that he thought had been chipped away, all the love he thought had been destroyed by his time in the Empty came roaring to the surface and he let out an emotional chuckle as he kissed his daughter's hair. 

And that was the moment he realized that was truly how he felt about her. Even though he started out only possessing the body of her true father, somewhere along the way, she became his daughter, too. "I missed you," she cried softly. He sniffled and cradled her head with his hand. "Not nearly as much as I missed you, Claire." Once they broke away, Cass looked back towards his brother in all but blood and shot him a small smile. "If I'm not mistaken, I think this is the part where you hug me," he joked lightly. Sam laughed wetly engulfed his friend in the biggest bear hug he'd ever given the angel. "You have no idea how good it is to have you back, man," Sam breathed. "You have no idea how good it is to _be_ back," Cass responded. 

* * *

**Back in Eden...**

The angels had flown back to their base with the demon in tow and escorted him through the main room of the facility to the interrogation room where they handed him off to two of the angels patrolling the hall. "Make sure he is kept under constant surveillance and don't let anyone besides us or the other lieutenants in or out of the room until the Commander gets back, understood?" Jophiel ordered. The two soldiers nodded. "Yes, ma'am, Lieutenant," they saluted, before carrying out their orders. Then, the two lieutenants turned and left, coming back into the main room where they were met by the angels Hael and Zachariah. "Zachie, how are you?" Jophiel snarked. "Where is Castiel?" Zachariah griped. "I couldn't help but notice he wasn't with you when you came in." 

"You couldn't help it, huh?" Xaela muttered. Zachariah glared daggers at the Seraph. However, before the situation could get worse, Hael jumped in, "We just wanted to know if the Commander was all right." Zachariah mumbled something indistinguishable under his breath and rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, what was that?" Xaela challenged. Zachariah sneered but shook his head in response. Seeing as how his presence was unwarranted and unwelcomed, he left with a harrumph about how he used to serve under Michael only to become the underling to a rebellious angel after dying by the hands of that wild ape, Dean Winchester. "I will never understand why the Commander chose to bring Zachariah back from oblivion," Hael pondered aloud. "He brought you back after you hogtied him to a car and drove him to the Grand Canyon under the threat of exposing his location to the other angels after the Fall," Xaela snorted. Their little sister winced at Xaela's words and lowered her head in shame. Just then, Jophiel placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. "Hey, don't feel too bad, I tried to kill him during Lucifer's rebellion and he still saw fit to bring me back," she grinned. Hael perked up with interest. "Wait, seriously?" Her older sister nodded. 

"Yep, and to answer your earlier question, our brother will return shortly," Jophiel answered. "He just had some personal matters to deal with."

"Hey, Hael, have you seen Sammy anywhere?" Xaela inquired. 

* * *

Inside one of the sleeping quarters of one of the lieutenants, two angels lay under the covers of the lavish bed making passionate love to one another, letting out moans of pleasure as they both reached their climax. Then, the man rolled over next to his lover, running a hand through his jet-black hair that rivaled Castiel's. "Well, that was amazing as usual, Essy," he smiled, catching his breath. The woman next to him giggled, her green eyes glinting seductively. "I bet you say that to all the girls," she remarked. "Mm-mm. Only you," he replied. 

Esther leaned in close and kissed him sensually, as he snaked an arm around her waist. 

"So, this is where you two were hanging out instead of doing your damn job?" Xaela's voice rang out, causing the two lovers to break away in shock. "Goddammit, Xae, what is wrong with you? Don't you knock?" Sammael yelled. "First of all, don't take our nephew's name in vain," Xaela began. "Second, it's not like I haven't walked in on you guys mid-orgasm before." 

"Look, Xaela, is there a particular reason why you barged in on us?" Esther inquired. "Yeah, we got a prisoner downstairs, Sammy and we could use some of your... questioning expertise," she answered back. 

"You couldn't have sent me a prayer through angel radio, you had to interrupt my post-orgasmic bliss? Bitch move!" he hissed. 

"Yeah, whatever, put on some pants, grab your knife kit, and meet downstairs in room 102," Xaela rolled her eyes. Then, she was gone in the blink of an eye. "Have I ever mentioned that I hate this family sometimes?" he wondered. 

* * *

**Sometime later in a warehouse in Brooklyn...**

Astaroth was leaning over a metal table, his shirt completely unbuttoned while one of the demons stitched up the stab wound on his abdomen. "How the hell did this happen?" the demon asked, pushing the needle through both sides of his skin. Astaroth grunted painfully and said, "It was that bitch Xaela and her sister Jophiel." "But how is it that you are not healing?" the other demon replied. "It doesn't make any sense."

"Ah! Do you know what else doesn't make sense? The fact that we started as an army of 12,000 demons and have been cut down to less than a hundred in six years simply because of one. Fucking. Trenchcoat-wearing. ANGEL!" Astaroth hissed. The henchman demon pulled tightly against the thread to seal the stitch off before grabbing a pair of scissors and cutting it. "Okay, you're all good," the demon announced. "Finally!" Astaroth grouched. "If I may ask?" the medical assistant demon began, as Astaroth re-buttoned his shirt. "What is your plan to deal with Castiel?" 

Astaroth's gaze darkened vengefully, an evil grin playing across his lips. "Everyone knows that the way into to an angel's heart is with the proper leverage," he explained vaguely. 

"My lord, we have the prisoner prepped and she is ready for questioning," another demon chimed in, entering the room. "Perfect!" Astaroth gleamed. 

A while later, Astaroth and the two demons from earlier entered a large torture chamber where a familiar woman with blonde hair and brown eyes has been stripped naked and tied down to a torture table struggling against the straps bound tightly to her wrists and ankles.

_[The torture table looks similar to the one's Ruby and Meg were being tortured by Alistair and the demon working for Crowley during seasons 4 and 6 of Supernatural.]_

Astaroth smiled cruelly. "Hello, Meg," he drawled sinfully. "I think you and I should have a long-overdue talk."


	7. Episode 1: Reminiscing About the Golden Oldies (Pt. 7)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel shares a moment with some of his old friends. Sammael and Xaela question the demon.

After having their emotional reunion in the alley, Cass decided to treat Sam and Claire to drinks to give them a chance to catch up. So they came into this kind of upscale bar called "The Halo", and as soon as the trio entered the bar, Sam saw how a lot of the patrons seemed to gape at them. Well, Cass, to be more specific. This set the demon hunter on edge and Cass noticed his suspicion, placing a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder. 

"Relax, Sam," Cass smiled. "These are all my guys."

Sam and Claire quirked their eyebrows questioningly. "Your guys?" 

However, the Archangel had already moved on over to the bar calling out to one of the bartenders, presumably an angel. "Zeraphiel!" He called out. A guy with dark skin behind the counter perked up when he saw the trenchcoated angel and smiled. "Ay, Boss!" the angelic bartender waved.

_[I pictured either John Boyega or Michael B. Jordan in this role.]_

"What can I get you?" Zeraphiel inquired. "Get me the usual and a couple of beers for my friends here," Castiel stated. "You got it!" the angel replied, before going off to get his boss's drinks. Cass gestured for the hunters to come over to the bar, and with nothing left to do but comply, they each took a seat beside him. "So, Cass, what is this place?" Sam questioned. "Oh, it's just one of the bars that I own," Cass waved off. Sam balked at the angel and looked around the interior of the bar. Compared to all the other bars and diners he'd gone in and out of throughout his life as a hunter, this was the most modern, upper-class lounge he's ever been to. 

"Wait, so this whole place is yours?" Claire chimed in. Cass nodded. Before Sam or Claire could say anything else, the angel Zeraphiel returned with their drinks. "So, Boss, how's everything going with the Fallen and Eden?" He asked leaning over the counter. "Things are pretty good," Cass responded. "You know, some of the angels are still trying to make trouble with the demons, but hey, what can you do?" "Yeah, I still get a lot of trouble from a few of the patrons here, too," Zeraphiel concurred. "But at least they aren't tryin' to kill each other."

Cass shrugged. "Hopefully, one day, we can all be in the same room without wanting to stir up trouble." The bartender laughed aloud, "I'll wait patiently for that day." Then, Zeraphiel turned to Sam and Claire and gave them a quizzical look. "Who're you?" "Who wants to know?" Claire countered. The bartender raised his hands in surrender with a small quirk of his lips. "Calm down, short-stack, just curious," the angel replied. 

"We're just friends of Cass'," Sam cut in. The angel seemed to understand the situation and nodded. "Well, nice meeting you guys." Then he left to go serve some other patrons.

Once he was gone, Sam and Claire turned to the Archangel questioningly after taking a swig from their drinks. "So, what did that guy mean by "the Fallen" and "Eden" earlier?" Sam asked. "Oh, that was just about work," Cass waved off. "I usually come in here every Friday to grab a drink, mingle with the other angels and demons. Nothing major." "What the hell do you mean by work talk and did you just say "demons"?" Claire intervened. 

Castiel closed his eyes and exhaled softly before reopening his eyes. "If I'm going to tell you everything, then I need to start at the beginning." "Yeah, that would best," Claire snarked. Cass shot her a slightly pained expression. "What it means is that I have to start from the _very_ beginning... When I died," he elaborated.

* * *

**In Eden...**

Sammael, now fully-clothed, walked side by side with his sister Xaela on their way down to the interrogation room to get information from the demon. "You know, for the record, you shouldn't be so hard on Esther," he said suddenly. "I'm the one who got her to shirk on her duties." "Yeah, I figured that," Xaela snipped. "And now because of you, one of our own is missing." 

"Oh, please. Meg was a bitch and blindly faithful to anyone who has a lot of power!" Sammael scoffed. "She's not loyal to anyone but herself and she sure as hell isn't one of our own. Hell, Ruby's more loyal to us than she is." Xaela shot him a withering glare and sneered, "You're one to talk, Mr. I-was-the-first-one-to-join-Lucifer's-rebellion-because-God-didn't-give-me-a-promotion." Before Sammael could come up with a response, they rounded the corner and Xaela signaled the angels guarding the door at the end of the hall to stand aside and let them through.

Once inside, the angel guards shut the door after the lieutenants and the two members of the Fallen glowered at their prisoner, who was chained down to a chair inside a devil's trap. "So, here's how this is gonna go: you are going to tell us where Astaroth is holding our friend," Xaela started. "You are going to tell us where he is and what he's planning." 

"Or what?" The demon grumbled.

Sammael walked over to a nearby metal table and waved his hand over it. As soon as that happened, an assortment of knives, hot pokers, and other torture devices along with salt and holy water appeared out of thin air. Meticulously, Sammael picked up one of the demon blades on the table and twirled it in his hand. Then, without warning, he stalked towards the demon and slashed him across his face causing the demon to cry out, as sparks of orange energy flicked beneath his skin. 

"Does that answer your question, dumbass?" Sammael snarked. The demon glowered viciously and spat in the Fallen Angel's face. Sammael snarled, wiping the spit from his eye while the demon laughed maniacally. However, that laughter soon turned to an agonizing and choking cry for help when Xaela forcefully poured a mixture of salt and holy water down his throat. "Damn it, I don't have time for games!" she yelled. "Tell me where Meg is; tell me what he's planning!?"

Once he stopped gagging and coughing the demon rolled his eyes, saying, "Kiss my ass!" Sammael jammed the demon blade into the captive's leg and twisted it slowly. "If I we you, I'd listen to my sister," he warned. "After all, a demon knows better than anybody that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." 

"You think you scare me? I've seen the face of true fear," the demon glanced between the two angels, "and you two ain't it." Just then, Xaela delivered a roundhouse kick to his face making blood spurt out of his mouth and nose. "The night is still young, who knows what'll happen between now and midnight?"

"Mm. That's a pretty long time away. It just turned six," Sammael drawled tauntingly. "However, the boss usually comes home at ten. Sheesh! We work got our work cut out for us."

* * *

"After I was brought back, everything was different. The world was different. And so was I," Cas stated. "I wanted to reach out, but the law of the Cosmic Commandments forbade me from interfering in mortal affairs." "Hold on. You've been alive this entire time?" Sam exclaimed. Cass inwardly cringed at the angry tone in Sam's voice. "Yes, I have," he said simply. "I don't believe this! So, Jack became the new God and brought you back from oblivion immediately after, and you didn't even bother to come home?" Sam bellowed. "I didn't have a choice, Sam!" Cass retorted defensively. "As I said, the laws forbade me from doing that. Plus, the entire universe had to be rebuilt after everything Chuck put it through, Jack needed me." 

"Jack is God, Cass. He could have taken care of himself, but Dean and I were your family, we needed you!" Sam yelled. The angel winced at the mention of Dean and a pang of guilt twisted in his heart.

"Hey, Chief!" one of the demon patrons called out, as he approached the trio. "Everything all right here?" "Yes, everything is fine, now can you please excuse us?" Sam snapped. The demon's eyes flitted to white as he snarled at Sam. "I wasn't talking to you, Winchester." "Beelzebub, that's enough," Cass declared. "Thank you, but we're good here." The demon eyed Sam one more time beforenodding to Castiel and walking back over to his seat.

"Look, Sam, I know you're upset, and I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? Cass, my brother is dead now! Sorry doesn't cut it, not this time," Sam reprimanded. "Yes, I know that Dean is dead!" Cass snapped. "Then, where were you when he needed you?" "I was there," Cass replied softly.

His response took all of the wind out of his lungs and Sam stared at his friend appalled. "W-Wait... are you-- huh-- are you saying that you... you were there the night Dean died?" Sam stammered. A deep, sinking feeling in his stomach arose as he waited in dreadfully slow silence for his friend's reply. He prayed that Cass would say "no", that he would rebuff the idea that the angel watched his best friend get impaled and did nothing to stop it. However, the longer Cass took to answer that one simple question, the more Sam started to dread the answer. An answer that, deep down, Sam already suspected was the truth. 

_'Please don't say it, Cass. Please?'_ he begged internally.

Cass opened and closed and took a deep breath. "Yes."

And just like that, all of Sam's hopes had been obliterated and a great feeling of loss and sorrow washed over him. "Wow. You just... After everything we'd been through together, you just... Let my brother die," Sam scoffed dejectedly. "So much for Team Free Will." Sam raised his glass to his lips and finished off his drink before standing up from his barstool and giving the Archangel a disappointed look. 

"Thanks for the drinks, and uh, heh, nice seeing you again, old friend." And with that, Sam stormed out of the bar slamming the door behind him. Cass lowered his head and rubbed his hand against his forehead. If Sam reacted that badly, he could only imagine what Claire was getting ready to say to him. "If you have something to say, Claire, now's the time," he mumbled.

The young huntress just sat in silence and observed her pseudo-father solemnly. "What do you want me to say, Cass?" she sighed. No response.

"That's what I thought." And then she got up and left, too, leaving Castiel alone in his thoughts.

_'Nice going, Cass.'_ a voice that sounded suspiciously like Dean voiced in his head. _'You really went and put your foot in it, this time, buddy.'_


End file.
